William Buick hopes to enhance his impressive resume with Rebel’s Romance in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot this Saturday.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, the six-year-old has an impressive record of 13 wins out of 19 career starts, with victories spanning across six different countries.
In 2022, Rebel’s Romance celebrated consecutive Group One wins in Germany before clinching the Breeders’ Cup Turf in the United States. This year, he has already triumphed in major races in Qatar, Dubai, and Hong Kong.
Unbeaten in five races in Britain, Rebel’s Romance faces a solid challenge in his first domestic race in nearly two years, but Buick is optimistic about a strong performance.
Coral has reported increased support for Rebel’s Romance and Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking, adjusting their odds from 7-2 to 4-1, while Auguste Rodin remains the 5-4 favourite.
Auguste Rodin, who underperformed against Rebel’s Romance in the Dubai Sheema Classic earlier this year, showcased his true potential in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. Buick is keen to see how Rebel’s Romance fares against him back home.
Buick emphasised the significance of the King George as a midsummer highlight. “The King George is a midsummer highlight. The Derby winner always used to turn up, as obviously, Adayar did, and the three-year-olds are always the main dangers in King George as the weight allowance probably swings in their favour if they are of that calibre. Sunway is a three-year-old and will gain a lot of weight, so it will be interesting, but it’s a good King George, as you would always expect it to be. He wouldn’t want soft ground – he’s a top-of-the-ground horse and a good mover, so if the forecast stays as it’s supposed to do, I think that should suit everybody. Don’t forget, he’s a UAE Derby winner on dirt as a three-year-old, so he’s a pretty versatile horse.”